Reading old testament deepens your understanding of the new testament and the life of Jesus Christ. Many times, the people cited in the new testament would refer to old testament Scripture to provide examples of what they were trying to explain or teach. Yesterday, Moina and I went to the ministry we go to every Friday in Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles where our brothers in Christ, Cue and Mercy preach the Word. They have been in the book of Leviticus ever since I met them about 5 months ago. From what others have said, it’s not a highly desirable book in the Bible to go through. I imagine it is because of the list of laws and rules on how the Israelites were to live their lives and to conform to. There are details of how to prepare for certain sacrifices and offerings made to God depending on the sin.
The great thing here though is that it teaches us how to live godly lives, in a standard of living that is good for us. God gaves us these laws to serve several purposes, here are some:
- so that we can try to live to his standard through faith,
- because he knows what’s best for us and
- because this was a setup to the coming of Jesus Christ, a shadow of Christ, to be the perfect solution to our sinful nature.
Moina and friends serving Cup-O-Noodle and waters
We went through Leviticus 13:1-46 and how God tells us to treat those that have signs or have leprosy.
Leviticus 13:1 - 3
“ 1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 2 "When anyone has a swelling or a rash or a bright spot on his skin that may become an infectious skin disease, he must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons who is a priest. 3 The priest is to examine the sore on his skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be more than skin deep, it is an infectious skin disease. When the priest examines him, he shall pronounce him ceremonially unclean.”
Someone that had a skin irregularity, was to go to the priest. The priest would examine and determine if the person is well or should be removed from the group, in isolation, for 7 days. After those 7 days, he will be brought back to the priest for examination again. The priest would determine if they are to return, or to remain in isolation if they are unclean. They would remain in isolation as long as they had the infection that made them unclean.
Jesus Christ is our high priest that we can always go to. It seems we always forget what we learn, or the the walk in following Jesus always is a struggle because of our daily trials and experiences of this life and world effect us, and we are in conflict with our sinful nature, trying to satisfy selfish desires. We can always turn to Jesus, the High Priest, to help us wherever we are at, if we just have faith or trust that he can and will do it.
Hebrews 4:14-16
“14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
This was a foreshadowing for how people would turn to and come to Jesus for salvation from their uncleanness, or their sins. The thing is, we would just need to come to him once, to believe in him that he saves us from the sin that we continue to commit that separates us from God, to confess he is Lord, and we will be saved from our sin and have eternal life.
Romans 10:9-10
“9That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
In looking at this one step back, I see that I have been sharing these verses with various people, and it only gives a snapshot. For those that do not know what the verses fully mean or if it’s hard to grasp the concepts of the verses, I encourage you to read into the stories further in the Bible. There’s a whole context of where these verses come from that will give you greater insight when you read it in its entirety. If you are already questioning, wondering or seeking, I have faith that you will come to know God. I am learning it’s all in God’s timing and in God’s will.
Matthew 7:7-12
7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
9"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
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